Salt-cellar.



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EVER STT AL lll HOUSTON, OF NIOBRARA, NEBRASKA.

SALT-GELLAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 633,593, dated September 26, 1899.

Application filed Jennery '7, 1899. Serial No. 701,539. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.'

Beit known that I, EvERETT ALEN Hous- TON, acitizen of the United States, residing at Niobrara, in the county of Knox and State of Nebraska,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Salt-Cellars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a f ull,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to malte and use the same.

This invention is particularly intended as an improvement in salt-cellars, although it is applicable to other forms of condiment-holders, the principal object being to provide improved means for pulverizing the salt when it has formed into hard lumps.

To this end the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended claims and a preferred form of embodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereof Figure l represents a salt-cellar in side elevation With my invention embodied therein. Figs. 2 and 3 represent vertical central sections of the same, Fig. 3 illustrating the use of the pulverizing device.

The reference-letter a designates the body of a glass salt-cellar of a conventional form, and b designates the perforated screw-cap, which for the purposes of :my invention is formed with a central circular aperture b and a depending flange i12-around the edge of the same. The pulverizing device comprises a stem c, fitting loosely through the said opening b and adapted to protrude sufficiently for purposes of manipulation, and a round disklike head d, fastened to or formed upon the lower end of the stem c, this head being preferably conical on the upper side and concave on the lower side, so as to conform to the convexity of the bottom of the salt-cellar, as shown in Fig. 2. A spiral spring d surrounds the stem c at the upper portion thereof, being fastened at one end to saidstem and bearing at its opposite end against the cap b, said spring fitting around the iiange b2, Which thus prevents it from being accidentally displaced. The tendency of this spring is to press the stom inwardly and the head c against the bottom of the salt-cellar.

As before stated, the stem protrudes sufficiently from the cap to provide for convenient manipulation, and when hard lumps of salt have formed in the salt-cellar and itis desired to pulverize the same this can be effectively accomplished by taking hold of the protruding end of the stem c and drawing the same out, as illustratedin Fig. 3, and either releasing the same and allowing the spring to force the head against the lumps of salt or retain ing the hold on the stem and pressing it inward against the lumps of salt. It Will be seen that the concavity of the under side of the head c provides for its so conforming to the bottom formation of the salt-cellar as to insure a pulverizing action against all the lumps of salt which may rest on the bottom of the salt-cellar. The stem is sufficiently loose in the opening of the cap to provide for some lateral play, whereby the latitude of the pulverizing action may be increased.

I am aware that salt-cellars have heretofore been provided With socalled pulverizing7 attachments which,however, rely upon agitating the salt within the cellar and fail of accomplishin g complete pulverization of the same.

It will be seen that the disk-like head of my pulverizing device is Well calculated to effectively accomplish complete pulverization of the hard lumps of salt, which mere agitating bythe action of stirring devices such as heretofore employed cannot accomplish.

In addition to the above-stated advantage it will be readily recognized that my device is exceedingly simple and easy of application.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A pulverizing appliance for salt-cellars or like holders, the same comprising a stem arranged to slide through the top of the holder, a disk-like head on the inner end of the stem within the holder and confronting the closed bottom thereof, and a spring exerting itself to press said head toward said closed bottom of the holder.

2. In a salt-cellar or like holder, the combination of the body having an imperforate bottom, the perforated cap having a central aperture, a stem extending loosely through said aperture, a disk-like head on the inner IOO end of the stern Within the holder and oonsaid aperture,aspiral spring surrounding the fronting the imperforate bottom thereof, and stem and the said flange and having one end a spiral spring surrounding said stern and engaged with the stem and the otherbearing 15 having one end engaged therewith and the against the cap, and a disk-like head on the 5 other bearing against the inner side of the inner end of the stem.

cap, said spring exerting itself to press the In testimony whereof I affix my signature head and stem inwardly, substantially as and in presence of two Witnesses.

for the purpose described. y

3. In a salt-Cellar or like holder, the coin- EVERETT ALEN HGUSTON 1o bination of the body, the cap having a cen- Vitnesses:

tral aperture with a depending ilange around FRANK LIMDAK,

the saine, a stem extending loosely through A. W. CRANDALL. 

